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Google Play policies guide how you can use ads in your apps, to help ensure
the best experience for users visiting and downloading apps from the store.

In general, for the purposes of policy, the content of ads displayed by your
app is considered part of your app. As an app developer, it is your
responsibility to ensure that the content, context, and behavior of ads in
your apps conforms to Google Play policies.

Before you publish, make sure you understand Google Play ad policies and how
to display ads in conformance with those policies. The sections below
highlight best practices and common examples to help you avoid the most
common types of policy violations.

Content and Maturity

Ad maturity exceeds app

From a policy perspective, ads shown in your app are part of your content
and your app is responsible for any violations. If an ad shown in your app
violates Google Play policies, your app may be suspended or your developer
account terminated.

For this reason, it's important for you to be be aware of what ads will be
displayed in your app and to manage the ads content according to Google Play
policies. Here are some guidelines:

Ads must not violate Content Policy—Ads in
your app must not violate the terms of Google Play’s Content Policy,
including those concerning illegal activities, violence, sexually
explicit content, or privacy violations.

Ads maturity must be consistent with your app's
maturity—Content shown in your ads must be consistent
with the app’s maturity rating in Google Play. Especially, ads content
should never exceed your app's maturity rating, even if the ads content
by itself complies with general policies.

In the example at right, the app's maturity rating is set to
"Everyone", which is the lowest maturity level on Google Play. By choosing
the "Everyone" maturity level, the developer is declaring that all of the
content in the app, including ads, is suitable for all users
regardless of age.

The example app violates Google Play policies by displaying ad content with a
higher maturity level—ad content showing gambling, profanity, user
location, suggestive content, or content from another app with higher
maturity exceeds the "Everyone" maturity rating. Because the ad's
maturity is higher than the app's maturity level, the app itself is in
violation of policy. To correct the problem, the developer must either
restrict ads content to "Everyone" level or raise the app's maturity rating.

Context and Behavior

If your app displays ads, it should do so in ways that do not interrupt users,
mislead them into clicking on ads, or make changes outside the app without
the user's knowledge or consent. Here are some guidelines:

Don't make changes outside of the app without consent
—Ads must not make changes outside of the app without the user's
full knowledge and consent.

Ads through system-level notifications

Notification that's part of the app's feature set

Changes outside the app must be reversible—If an
ad makes changes outside the app as described above, the changes (and
origin app) must be evident and easily reversible. For example, the user
must be able to locate and reverse the changes by adjusting settings,
changing ad preferences in the app, or uninstalling the app altogether.

Notification ads are prohibited—Your app
should not create system-level notifications
containing ads unless the notifications are part of the explicit
feature set of the app.

Don't add shortcuts, bookmarks, or icons—Your app
and its ads must not add homescreen shortcuts, browser bookmarks, or icons
on the user's device as a service to third parties or for advertising
purposes.

Above right is an example notification ad that violates ad policy by
providing ads through system level notification.

Below right, the notification ad complies with policy because the
nature of the notification is part of the explicit feature set of the app,
and it also provides attribution of the origin app.

Disclosure of Ads to Users

It's important to sufficiently disclose to users how your app will use ads.
You must make it easy for users to understand what ads will be shown in your
app, where they will be shown, and what the associated behaviors are, if any.
Further, you should ask for user consent and provide options for managing ads
or opt-out. Here are some guidelines:

Tell users about your ads—Create a simple,
complete disclosure that tells users how your app uses ads, where the ads
are shown, and how they can manage ad options. Take common-sense steps to
make the disclosure as clear as possible.

Disclosure in Terms

Disclosure is hidden

Make sure users know—Present your ads disclosure
is an easy-to-see location, rather than hiding it where users are not
likely to find it.

Ask for consent (opt-in) at launch—Where possible,
include your ads disclosure in the app description as well as in an Ads
Terms, End User License Agreement (EULA), or similar document. Display the
terms at first launch and ask for the user's consent before continuing to
the app.

A recommended approach is to provide an ads disclosure in an End-User License
Agreement (EULA). The disclosure should be clear and succinct and displayed
in a modal dialog that asks the user to agree to the terms before using the
app.

Above left is an example of ads disclosure that is hidden in a long EULA. The
disclosure information itself is not clearly indicated in the document text
and it's not visible unless the user happens to scroll down far enough in the
EULA.

Above right shows an approach that presents the disclosure in an obvious
and clear manner in a EULA and a dedicated Terms agreement.

Impersonation of System UI

Ads must not simulate or impersonate the user interface of any app, or
notification and warning elements of an operating system. Your app must not
display any ad that attempts to impersonate or represent a
system function or UI component. If such an ad is displayed in your app, your
app will be in violation of policy and subject to suspension. Here are some
guidelines:

No fake app UI notifications—Ads should not impersonate
the interface of an application for advertising purposes.

No fake system dialogs or warnings—Any ad that
presents itself as a system dialog or warning and asks for user input is in
violation of Google Play policies.

No fake app updates—Ads should not impersonate
system UI for app updates.

Ad impersonates app UI

Ad impersonates system warning

Ad impersonates system dialog

Above are examples of impersonations — a pop-up ad that impersonates a
system dialog, an ad that impersonates a system warning, and an ad that impersonates
an application UI. All of these are in violation of policy.

Adwalls and Interstitial Ads

If your app uses adwalls to drive affiliate traffic, those adwalls must not
force the user to click on ads or submit personal information for advertising
purposes before using the app.

Forcing a user action in an adwall is not only a poor user experience, it is
a violation of Google Play policies.

For this reason, all adwalls must give the user the option to
cancel or otherwise dismiss the ad without penalty. Interstitial ads
may only be displayed inside of the app they came with. Forcing the user to
click on ads or submit personal information for advertising purposes in order
to fully use an app is prohibited.

Interstitial, modal ad

Adwall lets user cancel

Adwall forces user action

At left is an example of an app that requires the user to click through the
ad to fully use the app. This is a violation of policy.

The center example demonstrates an adequate option to let the user dismiss
the ad wall easily by cancelling. This is not a violation of policy.

At right is an example of an interstitial, modal ad that is displayed outside
of the app. This is a violation of policy.

Interfering with Apps and Third-Party Ads

Ads associated with your app must not interfere with other
apps or their ads.